Blumenkranz
by Borlaaq
Summary: literally "Flower Wreath". It seems the Hollow Knight acquired far more of their mother's abilities than they realized. It probably would have never came up if it wasn't for Grimm. He's not complaining, of course, but he will have to find a way to teach them to control it. Can't have them releasing spores whenever they get slightly worked up.


You have grown

You have strived

First time in forever you're alive

(The power is in your hand)

A floral crown for you, my dear

Smile and wipe away all your tears

\- Blumenkranz English Translation by Sapphire

The Hollow Knight has always been more like their mother than their father and it is no surprise that they go to visit her often. It had been one of the first things they asked about when they were mostly healed – "did mother share the same fate?" they had written, handing the parchment awkwardly to Hornet. She had wrinkled her brow, unsure, and glanced at Grimm for help. Grimm was only such a help because he had remembered seeing the White Lady when he had been just a child traveling with Ghost. Trying to lead the Hollow Knight back there had been a mess of trial and error but, eventually, the two of them had found her hiding spot. It started a ritual then, where the Hollow Knight would go to visit their mother as often as they could. They even took to caring for Ghost's garden when Grimm became needed with his Troupe again, and Ghost, or rather the Shade Lord as they are now, disappeared months on end into the Abyss.

Grimm is often traveling with his Troupe now, as his work is never done, but a rare lull in activity allows him to spend some time in Hollownest. He doesn't infringe on the Hollow Knight's weekly visit to the Gardens, though, and instead stays in the new Palace. Grimm isn't exactly welcome in the Queen's Gardens anyway. She still is bitter of the loss of her Kingdom and King, and the idea of Grimm of all people on the list to possibly inherit it sets her off in a way the Hollow Knight has never seen before. To be quite honest, the Hollow Knight tends not to flaunt their relationship. Grimm has a feeling the White Lady knows but the Hollow Knight can barely even call Grimm their mate in private without getting embarrassed. It's endearing.

He is reading while laying across the Throne when the front doors crash open. He peeks over the top of his book to catch a glimpse of the Hollow Knight's horns.

"Welcome back, love. How was the trip?" He asks, eye drifting back down to his novel. There is no reply, of course, but he hears them shake the rain from themselves. A white, gleaming powder drifts off their robes as they do so and Grimm finds himself watching it. It reminds him of the glowing roots of the White Lady. He's never seen the powder before, at least not from the Hollow Knight. It seems to disappear as it settles onto the white stone of the Palace floor.

Grimm barely comprehends that the Hollow Knight has approached him until they shove their snout under his book, worming up in between his arms. Grimm chuckles, setting the book down and draping his arms around their shoulders. "You smell like flowers…" He mumbles, moving to sit in the throne properly, his legs on either side of their waist as they are knelt down to his level.

The smell. Grimm never remembers them smelling like this before, in all the other times they've returned from the Gardens. It's sweet, strong, and there's something he can't quite place about it. There's something so comfortable about the scent and Grimm inhales deeply, hands fisting into the fabric of their robes. It disrupts more of the white powder and the smell grows more intense. His head is swimming and he feels hot.

The Hollow Knight is cold and he leans into them. They're kissing him, then, suddenly and roughly. Grimm gives a surprised growl, pressing back into them. They move their knees to the throne on either side of Grimm's hips and he finds himself tugging at their robes. It's not until he has their shoulders bare, their black carapace freckled with the glowing specs that Grimm realizes what else he smelt. He swallows back a groan of pleasure as their hand push under his cloak.

"Are you alright?" He whispers against their mask. They make a huffing noise, grabbing his hand and shoving it between their legs.

They're soaked. Grimm lets out a low growl and his head spins.

"Perhaps we should go to the bedroom…" He has to try and catch his breath, fingers stroking their wet slit and the smell of their arousal is so strong and so unusually sweet. They shake their head fast, grinding down onto his palm. A shudder wracks their body and when they move a hand to Grimm's shoulder, they're shaking.

"_Hurry._" They write the word with determination, claws digging in. Grimm can't deny them and he slips two fingers inside easily. They buck their hips, a low rumble echoing in their chest. Their hand slips between his legs and Grimm didn't even realize how hard he is until they wrap their hand around his length. He gasps, fingers thrusting into them sharply and the Hollow Knight presses their face to his neck, shoulders shaking. They're dripping and Grimm can't help but notice their void hasn't formed an erection. His throat is tight as they clench around him and his cock aches in their grasp.

"Ambrosia…" He pants, twisting his fingers inside of them, "How do you want to do this?"

They give him a firm jerk, thumb passing over the head of his cock before they straighten up. They put their hand on his chest to brace themself, rocking their hips in time with his fingers. "_Breed me_." They write, their hand shaking.

Grimm growls at that, his cock twitching. His eyes dilate and he gives them one last thrust of his fingers before wrapping his arms around their waist. He pushes them back, standing up and pulling them down to kiss him again. They lift one leg and Grimm catches it so they can rut against him, leaving a trail of slick across his shell. The scent of flowers invades his senses again and he digs his claws into their thigh. He needs them. Now.

He remembers where he's smelled it before. On the Pale King while he was making vessels. On the White Lady before she locked herself away. The White Lady had some control over it but even then it had clung to everything in the White Palace when she went through her pollination phases. But she has hidden herself away for a reason, unable to live with the guilt and unwilling to ever breed again. A direct contrast to her nature. It seems the Hollow Knight acquired far more of their mother's abilities than they realized. It probably would have never came up if it wasn't for Grimm. He's not complaining, of course, but he will have to find a way to teach them to control it. Can't have them releasing spores whenever they get slightly worked up.

(—as if Grimm having a heat cycle wasn't bad enough, now the Hollow Knight has a pollination phase.)

"You have no idea you're doing that, do you?" Grimm hisses, unhooking their leg from his waist and spinning them around so their back is to him. They rumble, a low growl, as he pushes them down. Their claws catch on the armrest of the throne and they lift one knee up into the seat. Grimm grabs their hips, rubbing his cock against their cunt. They shake, pushing back roughly to try and get him to enter them.

"It's pollen," Grimm explains while he still has some sense to. He leans close, pressing his face to their shoulder and inhaling. The white specks sparkle all over their shell and now with Grimm presses up against them, the pollen clings to him too. "You always were your mother's child. And she," he rams into them with a growl, "Just _loved_ to breed."

Their head falls forward, cunt tightening. Tendrils form inside of them, curling and squeezing his cock. They arch their back like a cat, shoulders shaking. Grimm presses his chest to their back, hands holding their hips as he pulls out almost completely before thrusting back in. Their whole body jerks from the force, the void in them vibrating in pleasure.

"I am honored to help you," his voice is labored and he braces himself with one arm against the throne. He intertwines their fingers. They squeeze his hand, grinding their hips back against him. He groans as he thrusts, his movements deep and sharp. The wet sounds of their cunt make his cock twitch inside of them and their void strokes every inch of his cock, even to the point of helping pull him back in. They meet his thrusts desperately, thighs quivering. They've never been so stretched before and they nuzzle Grimm's face, panting.

He tries to slow down, knowing this is their first time being penetrated but, gods, their scent. A low whine leaves them, pitched in such a way that Grimm feels it rather than hears it. Like a whistle through a cave. They roll their hips back against him, begging for him to move faster.

"I'm _trying_ to be polite, Ambrosia," he hisses, jaw tight from the pleasure. "I don't want to hurt you."

They chuckle silently, the only noise is the sound their shell makes when the void vibrates inside of them. The rub their thumb across his knuckles, flipping his hand over, and then use their larger hand to write on his palm. "_Please_," and then, slowly, they add, "_I can take it_." They emphasize it by wiggling their hips and letting their head drop forward as they shudder.

Grimm snarls at their words, claws tightening around their hips as he speeds up again. The Hollow Knight is playing with fire by making a demand like that but with their pollen clinging to both of them, he can't think past the fog of lust to argue. Each thrust is enough to throw them off balance and they dig their claws into the throne for some leverage. The nearly silent noises that leave them only spur him on. He's never seen them so_ needy_ and he swears if his heat wasn't controlled by the Nightmare Heart he might just enter it right then and there. The black of their carapace is a harsh contrast to the while stone of the New Palace and Grimm is acutely aware he's fucking the new Ruler of Hollownest on their own throne. (– and in that aspect alone, they are like their father.)

The Hollow Knight tightens around him, whole body tensing, and Grimm leans in to kiss their shoulder. He rubs his swollen knot against their entrance but he is unsure if he can fit. They push back against him with a quiet whine, hips shaking and trying to get him to knot them. He's surprised there is such instinct in them but they aren't meant to be bred and Grimm knows it. They're too tight already, the void inside of them petting him and melding to each ridge like a second skin. He's dizzy on their scent and finds himself trying to push in deeper before he catches himself.

"Love," he pants, "I think you'll have to work up to that."

A growl rumbles from them but they stop pushing back as hard, instead just rubbing against the soft barbs on his knot as they stimulate the outside of their cunt. They push up against him and the cool of their body is welcomed. Grimm's hand leaves their hip to rub their dripping slit and angles himself so he can press his cock to their gspot. They shake at that, head falling forward. Their inner tendrils keep pulling him back to the spot and Grimm manages a chuckle between his own moans.

Grimm almost loses himself when the Hollow Knight tilts their head to the side, fingers gripping his own. They _bare_ their neck to him. He groans sharply into their shoulder at the sight, cock twitching inside of them. He licks up their neck, stretching to reach, hand moving back to their hip to steady them as they shake. They're holding back for him and he knows it. His heart aches.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He mumbles, grinding against their gspot, knot pressing against their sensitive entrance. And he's truly not sure of the answer. To Grimm, he had failed them, horribly, yet, here they are, loving him like he never left.

They jerk back into his hips sharply, a mute growl shaking them and he pulls himself from his thoughts. He kisses their neck and they huff, a quiet sigh of pleasure behind their mask. He brings his teeth to their slender neck and sink into them with no more hesitation. Their cunt spasms then, a gush of void and slick leaving them as they quiver. Grimm holds them up, drinking down the void from their neck. He groans against them as their inner tendrils stroke and knead him. He's able to hold out for a few more thrusts as he finishes drinking before he pulls his mouth away.

He cums inside of them with a loud snarl that echoes around the throne room. He holds their hips flush as he fills them, knot rubbing the outside of them raw as he holds himself from trying to force it in. Their insides grip him tightly and they shudder in pleasure. Grimm's legs shake and he pulls out slowly. They wince as he does so and he helps them ease into the throne before curling up into their lap. He kisses the mating mark he left.

"Warn me next time," he whispers with a smirk, leaning up to kiss their mask.

They nod sheepishly before perking up. They had almost forgot! He notices their sudden excitement and cocks his head to the side. They take his palm and write, fast and erratically, "_Shade taught me_."

"Oh? Taught you what?" That kind of sentence is usually dreadful as the Shade Lord can be a terrible influence, especially with Ghost making up their heart.

To Grimm's surprise, they start to sign. It's awkward with one hand and he fully expects it to be a swear like the other few signs the Shade Lord has shown them. They spell it out and it takes him a moment to put it together.

(I love you.)

He blinks, throat tight, and grabs their hand before they can finish. They look at him, afraid they did something wrong. Grimm shakes his head quickly, kissing their knuckles.

"You… don't have to say it. I know," his face is red and he looks away.

The Hollow Knight laughs mutely, freeing their hand to tug him close and nuzzle the top of his head. They sign again, not spelling it out but instead doing the quick version repeatedly. Grimm blushes even harder.

"Okay, okay! Yes, I love you too. You know that."

They let out a purr that he feels through his whole body and places a hand on his back to write. "_Shade said you get embarrassed when people tell you. So I learned_."

"Terrible influence," Grimm murmurs, kissing their chest. "But… thank you."

He can practically feel them smiling.


End file.
